A Little Something Called Forever
by Lizzie9
Summary: I know you still love me Meredith! he shouted. Maybe I do, Derek, but I can't trust you not to leave again! Derek returns from NYC 3 yrs in the future to stop Meredith's upcoming wedding. MD.
1. Chapter 1

Title: A Little Something About Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. We also want to know- Meredith's fiance: Finn or someone else. Review and let us know!

"Can't sleep in the city of neon and chrome, it feels too damn much like home." -Rent

New York City  
1:13 am EST

Derek Shepherd had enough. This was his last sleepless night in New York City. The last tortured hours he would spend staring at the buildings and lights until they melted into the Seattle skyline, and finally into Meredith Grey's face.

His bags were packed. He was leaving. This was no way to live. He was waiting for Addison to get out of surgery and come home so he could tell her. They were finished. He was heading somewhere. Maybe L.A., or Miami Beach. Somewhere sunny, somehwere open, somewhere…

His cell phone shattered the silence. It was a Seattle area code.

Seattle  
10:15 pm PST

Christina Yang- Burke raised her eyebrows at George O'Malley and her husband as they stared at her phone.

Izzie Stevens sauntered over to them, on the arm of Alex Karev. "What is this?" she asked. She looked at them. "We discussed this, guys. We formulated plans."

Burke sighed. "We're not eight year olds setting up two friends in the sandbox."

"We're all paired off, and Meredith, Meredith is up there smiling, but she's not happy. He's her McDreamy. We owe her this one last chance to be happy." Izzie said, a little desperately.

Alex squeezed her hand. She smiled. "We're not all as lucky as I am. What if there really is only one person for her?"

Christina sighed and picked up her phone. "Preston, make the call."

New York City  
1:20 am EST

"God, it's great to hear from you Burke." Derek said, smiling. "See, the thing is, I'm leaving. I think I'm heading to-

There was a scuffle on the other side of the phone. "Burke?"

"Derek, it's Christina. She's engaged. She's getting married."

It was silent for a while. Christina was afraid he had hung up, and then he spoke. "Seattle. I think I'm heading to Seattle."

"Next flight leaves New York at 6."

Seattle  
10:23 pm PST

"Christina!" Burke cried.

"You were stalling!"

"Stalling on what?" Callie asked, looping her arm through George's.

"We just told Meredith."

"Ahh." She said knowingly. "And…?"

"He's coming back."

"Who is?" asked Meredith sticking her head into their circle.

"Burke." Christina said without missing a beat. "He's going to the car, but he's coming right back, aren't you Preston?"

Burke smiled tightly and shuffled away muttering something that sounded like, 'always an intern'.

Meredith gave Christina a strange look, then smiled before heading back to her fiancee.

New York City  
2:00 am EST

Addison Montgomery Shepherd stepped off the elevator into their apartment, exhausted. What she expected was her sullen, depressed husband sitting in the glow of the television.

She never expected to see him, standing in their living room, bags packed.

"Derek, what the hell?"

"I gotta go."

"Where? Why? Is it a surgery?"

"No, Addison, I mean I've gotta go."

She stood there, nodding until she understood. "Meredith." She whispered.

"No." he said. "Well yes, but I was going even before I got the call."

"What call?"

"Addison, she's," his voice broke, and if his wife wasn't mistaken, he was crying. "She's getting married."

"Go." She said, gently. "I won't fight you on it Derek. Coming to New York was never a solution. We've been over for a long time. Go get the girl, Derek."

He took a long look at Addison, and kissed her forehead. "I'll call you." He said, gethering his bags and moving for the door.

"Derek? Good luck."

He smiled, shut the door to their apartment, and once again, left New York for another life.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: The Ties That Bind

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. We also want to know- Meredith's fiance: Finn or someone else. Review and let us know! 730 hits and 14 reviews? Come on, click the button!

"I was crying over, now I am smiling, I think of you." –Finley Quaye

Seattle

6:24 am

Derek climbed in the rented car and took off. He had spent the plane ride staring straight ahead of him, his mind spinning. He knew it was a bad idea bursting into their house, assuming Meredith still lived there, at seven am, but he would go crazy if he didn't see her.

Because when he thought about, it all came back to her. She was the reason his heart was still beating.

It all came back to Meredith Grey.

It all came spiraling back to Derek Shepherd. He was always in her head. Three fucking years later, and she couldn't get him out of her head, or her dreams, or her apartment, or the hospital, or Joe's or anywhere she'd ever been with him. He was still there.

She was supposed to be in love. She had the perfect fiance. He was charming and cute, and sensitive and funny, and they had made plans. And she intended to follow through with them.

But she couldn't get Derek Shepherd out of her head.

Downtown Seattle

7:15 am

Izzie Stevens rolled out of bed, padded to the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. For once, it wasn't raining. She smiled at the sun streaming through the windows. She paused, like she did every morning and thought of Denny.

She smiled again, knowing he was watching her, and felt content. The fact this contentment had everything to do with Alex Karev did not escape her. She smiled as she heard Meredith's alarm go off. Five years at Seattle Grace and she still lived with Meredith and George.

There was a knock at their door. Alex. Had to be. No one else she knew would be here this early. No one else she knew got up this early, except for Burke, and she wasn't expecting him to show up at the door.

She opened it, and came face to face with Derek.

"You're back."

"Where is she?"

"Sleeping, as far as I know." Izzie said. She raised her eyebrows. "What exactly is your plan here, Derek? Besides charging in, white horse evident and guns a' blazing?"

He frowned. "I have no idea."

"Whoa."

"George?" Derek asked incredulously. "Aren't you guys ever going to move?"

"Like to New York with my wife? Maybe without saying goodbye?"

Derek looked at the floor. "I'm not proud of that."

"She called the hospital, you know. Asking for you. They told her you quit, and she dropped the phone because her hands were shaking."

"I'm sorry."

George's eyes flashed angrily. "I'm not the one you almost destroyed."

Guilt befell Derek Shepherd in the living room of their apartment.

"Just do better this time." George said.

Meredith woke up to voices. It was usually George, Izzie and Good Morning America, but there was something different about today.

She got out of bed in her boxers and her wife beater, what Izzie called her Gretchen Wilson pajamas, and shuffled downstairs. Izzie and George were in the kitchen, and jumped when they saw her.

"I gotta shower."

"I gotta change."

She eyed them strangely as they bolted from the kitchen. She was going about the morning like every morning, pouring French Roast from the coffee pot into her favorite mug when she heard the voice.

"Meredith."

Hollywood doesn't lie. The cliché movie moments about how time stops, the world spins and you can't breathe? All true.

She thought it was true. Time really had stopped. Maybe the city had slowed and the world stopped it's spinning just long enough for her life to be changed by those syllables. She would know that voice anywhere.

Life was all about nanoseconds she thought wildly. In the time it had taken for that voice to register, everything had changed. She turned around slowly, and there he was.

"You're in my kitchen." She choked out.

He smiled. "Yea. Yea, I am."

She stared at him. He looked good. A little tired, but good. Her heart was jumping.

He stared back. She was tan, and her hair was longer, but eyes seemed a little duller than he remembered. Derek felt an itch in his fingers, and he wanted to touch her.

"What's going on Derek?" she whispered. "What about New York and Addison?"

"I'm so sorry." He whispered back, not sure why they couldn't raise their decibles. "I never should have gone. I knew the second we got there it would never work with Addison. I should have come back right away."

"You should have told me you were leaving."

He looked at her hands. They were shaking. He stepped closer to her, and took both of her hands in his own.

Her eyes were filled with questions, and he wanted to answer them all, but technicalities would only ruin this intricate moment. So instead, he kissed her. And he was surprised when she kissed him back. Deepened it. Pulled him closer.

Derek inched his fingers under her tank top and let them play across her stomach. He pulled back slightly. "Meredith, I'm-"

Sorry. He was going to say he was sorry, but before it could come out their lips were together again. Maybe it was him who made the first move, because he was too proud to admit what he'd done to her. Or maybe it was her, because she felt that if she kissed him enough, she would be convinced this was really happening.

It was unmistakably her who pulled away. "Jesus, Derek. I'm engaged." She said breathlessly.

He nodded. "I know."

Her eyes narrowed. "So that's it? You leave without a word, and have your wife send me Christmas cards for three years, until I finally get things together, and then you just decide to cruise back in?"

"I should never have left. I was ready to leave New York and I got the call that you were getting married. And I knew where I was going."

They stared at each other. Tears welled in Meredith's eyes, but she wouldn't let them spill over. He reached for her, and pulled her to him tightly.

"God I missed you." He whispered into her hair.

"I missed you too." She admitted. She couldn't let go of him. Like letting him go would make it all a dream. Like he would just fade away if she didn't hold on tight.

He looked over her shoulder out the window, at the rising sun illuminating Seattle. He smiled, appreciating the sight. He felt something in that sun rise, and it gave him hope.

Meredith's brain turned over everything that had just happened, and then shut off. And she kissing Derek Shepherd again.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: A Little Something About Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we were in Rome, then Cannes, then the hamptons, but now that we're vacation free, at least for a week or so, we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". We went in a different direction for Meredith's fiancée- Finn is wonderful, but that's a little tired by now. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

"No one can find the rewind button now." – Anna Nalick

He went to Seattle Grace from her house. He marched himself right into Dr. Webber's office.

"Hey chief." He said.

Surprise flashed onto Webber's face, followed by a look of understanding. He said nothing, and Derek sensed he should be quiet too. Love, Chief Webber thought, was a precious commodity. He had a soft spot for Meredith Grey and the last thing he wanted was for her to give up something real.

If there was one final thing he could do for Ellis, it would be to make sure that her daughter had a chance at a real love. "Derek, this is a funny coincidence. I seem to be one neurosurgeon short of a full staff."

* * *

"There's my brilliant little surgeon." The voice came from a crisp, British accent.

"Paul!" Meredith exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" He walked up to her and practically lifted her in the air when he threw his arms around her.

"I've got some bad news love." He said regretfully. "I'm afraid I've got to fly back to London for a few days." She bit her lip, not sure whether she should laugh, cry or just jump out of the nearest window.

Paul's family owned a huge international banking business and he was in charge of the offices on the U.S. West Coast. He was always flying somewhere. "I know the wedding is only ten days away, Meredith, but it's completely necessary."

She was desperate now. She was getting married. To a rich, charming, British banker. So what if he wasn't McDreamy? So what if he didn't make her weak with a smile? She didn't care that he despised nicknames and never called her Mere. She'd be fine, just fine.

But she could not let him leave the country with Derek so very much back home. "I could go with you." She blurted out.

He laughed. "Darling, I won't be back until just a few days before the wedding. One of us needs to stay here and make sure everything continues to run smoothly."

She nodded numbly. "Of course." She said, forgetting that she had to fit into his ordered world at all times.

"And I want you to look at this." He said, handing her a manila envelope.

"Right, what is this again?"

"Los Angeles real estate guide. I can't stand this city much longer, doll." He said, checking his Cartier watch. "I've got to run and catch a connecting flight to LAX."

"Paul, I can't move. My job is here. My mom is here." Derek is here, sang the little voice in the back of her head.

He smiled, brushing it off. "Nonsense. We'll find you a new job. Details later. I'll call you." He kissed her and as quickly as he had come, he was gone. She plopped down in the nearest chair and opened up the envelope and started absentmindedly flipping through glossy pages of over priced houses.

She didn't notice that Christina was sitting beside her until she heard her start talking. "Oh, hell no, Meredith." Christina said, as she peered over Meredith's shoulders. "You can't go to California. It's sunny. All the time. Everyone's cheery, and there's palm trees and fake boobs in every direction."

Meredith raised her eyebrows. "You finished? I'm not going anywhere."

Christina took her turn to raise her eyebrows back. Meredith sighed. "At least not yet."

"I heard about the drama this morning?"

Meredith feigned shock. "There was drama? Was I sleeping? Oh wait, no, you couldn't be referring to the startling return of my ex boyfriend, you know, the one that almost completely killed me? Because that's not really dramatic."

"Touche." Christina remarked, deciding now was not the best time to point that she had in fact been the one to initiate the homecoming. "Maybe, you know, it's for the best he's here."

"Why would you say that? I'm getting married in ten days, and all of a sudden he's in my house. Like he's got radar or something, and he just knows that there's an opportunity for him to screw everything up for me."

"Or maybe he just loves you."

"If he loved me, he wouldn't have left me here while he went off to Park Avenue with Addison."

"I just think you're making a mistake."

"What?"

"I've wanted to tell you this for a while, but I couldn't find a good time."

Meredith smiled in spite of herself. "You're Christina. I never expect you to wait for the right time."

"So here goes. You're making a mistake. Paul, he's, pretentious and metro sexual and rude and degrading and British."

"He is not! Degrading at least."

"Not to you. At least not to your face. But he's an asshole, Mere. He's not the one for you."

Meredith stood up. "Christina, I appreciate your obviously heartfelt concern, but I think, now, three years later, it's time to give up the McDreamy façade. I'm getting married to Paul. End of story."

* * *

A long day and one emergency surgery later, Meredith was on a bench outside the hospital, face turned skyward. When she felt someone sit down next to her, she knew without looking it was Derek.

"I'm sorry." He said.

"Sorry for what? For leaving without a word? For cutting yourself off from me for three years while Addison sent me Christmas cards? Or for coming back ten days before my wedding?"

"I don't know, Meredith, I'm just sorry."

She turned to face him. "Did it really mean that little to you that you could just leave without telling me? Without saying goodbye?"

"It meant that much to me, Mere. One look at you and I would have stayed."

"Would it be that horrible if you did?"

"Yes, because I never would be able to be here today if I hadn't left. Addison would always be a huge part of my picture. But by going to New York, it's really over. God Meredith, your face was everywhere for three years."

She dug her nails into her palms, willing herself not to cry. He picked up her hands in his. "Mere, this is all I'm going to say. I love you. Ever since that first night, I have loved you. But if you can tell me now that you don't love me anymore, I'll go. I'll be on the next plane to somewhere far away and you'll never have to hear from me again."

Time stopped again for Meredith Grey. "I, Derek…"she trailed off. "I can't say that."

He stood up and looked down at her. "Then I'm staying. I can't turn back time and not go to New York, it's too late for that. I can't expect you just to forgive me either, but I have to fight for you. I can't give you up one more time Meredith Grey." He leaned down, kissed her forehead and walked away, leaving her in the wake of his declaration with nothing to cling to. There was nothing to grab to keep from drowning.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: A Little Something About Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we were in Rome, then Cannes, then the hamptons, but now that we're vacation free, at least for a week or so, we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". We went in a different direction for Meredith's fiancée- Finn is wonderful, but that's a little tired by now. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

"I'm finding my way back to you, and everything I used to be." – Michelle Branch

Derek plopped down on a bar stool next to Burke later that night. "So who the hell is this guy?"

"Hello to you too, Derek." Burke said with a smile. Derek grinned and clapped his friend on the back.

"It's good to be home Preston," He said. "It's good to be home."

Burke smiled and signaled to the bartender to get a beer for Derek. "You're going to need this." Burke told him as the bartender set the glass in front of him. "And a few more after that. Paul Willams, of the banking company."

Derek raised his eyebrows. "I'm changing brokers."

Burke nodded, knowingly. "Very rich. Very charming and very slick."

"How'd they meet?"

"He was admitted to the hospital."

"With what?"

"No one knows. He left before we could diagnose him and then had his medical files sealed."

"And she's going to marry him?"

"Christina told me he's going to make her move to Los Angeles."

Derek's jaw set rigidly. There was no way he could let that happen.

* * *

Meredith was sitting on a bed in the hallway across from the vending machines, only this time, she was alone. As an intern, not much had changed. It was still the five of them, however dysfunctional that five may be. They only had two years left. Then who knew what would happen?

She had the five of them, but right now she was alone.

"I won't say I told you so." Came Dr. Bailey's voice from down the hall.

"You told me so?"

"Grey, of course I told you so. When I found the two of you getting busy in his car your first year? I told you Derek Shepherd would only come back to bite you in the ass."

"You heard."

"Honey, he's been reinstated to his former position. Everybody's heard."

"What the hell is this, Miranda?"

"He loves you. Truth be told, I think he always has. And don't call me Miranda."

"Fair enough. But why now? Why three years later?"

"I heard that he was leaving Addison. Going off to find himself. Then he heard that the love of his life was getting married, and he found himself rather quickly."

Meredith smiled in spite of herself. "What do you think?"

Bailey shook her head. "It's your life, Grey. You've got to make your own decisions."

"I was afraid of that."

* * *

The next day, Meredith woke up in a haze. Two days ago she had been completely sure of what she was doing and where she was going. Now, nothing made sense.

"The best way to do this is to pretend its all normal, right?" she asked Izzie on their way to the hospital.

Izzie looked at her like she was crazy. "This is anything but normal. Meredith, things happened. People got hurt. Now you're faced with a choice."

"Derek had this choice twice, Iz. Time number one, he picked Addison. Then he had sex with me, told me he loved me, which brought us to time number two where he picked Addison, only that time, he packed up and moved across the country."

Izzie looked at her for a long time. "You want to know the truth Mere? Shit happens. And shit happened here. You've just got to figure out what you want."

* * *

Two pairs of gloves came off of two hands and went into the same trash can. Meredith and Derek locked eyes, both riding the same surgical high. They had just successfully removed a bullet from some guy's brain.

Meredith watched Derek clean up from the surgery. His eyes were still deep; he still had that perfectly structured face under a mop of hair she wanted to touch.

Derek watched Meredith, who was obviously thinking. Her eyes were a little duller than he remembered, but they still sparkled when she was surprised or happy. Her face was still soft, but sexy as hell. Her bangs still hung in her face, and he still wanted her in the worst way.

Meredith was looking at him, feeling the way she felt whenever she looked at Derek. Drawn in, vulnerable, and fully in love. She tried to shake it off. She was engaged and that was not going to happen. No more kissing, no more touching, nothing.

* * *

"You're all right?" The voice asked, chiming over the air waves.

"I'm okay." He replied. "She's engaged." He said incredulously.

She didn't know what to say. It was very strange talking to your husband about the woman he loved more than he loved you. "Who is it?"

"Paul Williams. He's a British banker. Just left for London actually."

Three thousand miles away, Addison's eyes narrowed. "Derek, I know that name."

"It's not too uncommon is it?"

"No, I mean I know who you're talking about. I've crossed paths with him somehow, I'm sure of it."

"Where?"

"I'll figure it out." She promised. "Derek, good luck, okay?"

"Thank you." He whispered. "Thanks a lot." They hung up the phone. Derek sat in the hospital, glad to be working, glad to have a focus, a goal, but also feeling wary. For the first time since he had packed his things in their living room, he felt doubt.

What if she stayed with this guy? What if she wouldn't take him back? He was in a hospital full of people, but Derek couldn't have felt more alone.

* * *

Addison crossed the street briskly, and walked into the bar of the St. Regis. She saw him immediately, and sucked in a breath. She marched over tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hi Mark."

"Addie." He breathed. Neither one of them knew how to act. Mark wanted to kiss her, but it was all so new. She hugged him tightly, but tentatively. He smiled at her and gestured for her to sit down. She sat down, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw a vaguely familiar face.

She studied him intently. "Someone you know?" Mark asked.

"Jesus." Addison whispered. "That's Paul Williams. That's the guy that Meredith is engaged to."

* * *

"Fifty says she has sex with him in forty eight hours or less."

"Christina, she just started a forty eight hour shift."

Christina shrugged at George and winked at Burke.

"Ew." George said.

"Seventy five says she stays with Johnny English." Alex chimed in.

Izzie snorted. "Honey, please. This is not a clear cut win for Paul. A hundred says there's a huge showdown."

Burke rolled his eyes at all of them. "People, please. I know these bets are what you do, but let's leave them to their own devices." He left the on call room, with a folder in his hand, and Alex rolled his eyes at Christina, as if she were responsible.

Before anyone could say anything, Burke's head popped back in the room.

"I put two hundred on Derek."


	5. Chapter 5

Title: A Little Something About Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we were in Rome, then Cannes, then the hamptons, but now that we're vacation free, at least for a week or so, we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". We went in a different direction for Meredith's fiancée- Finn is wonderful, but that's a little tired by now. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

"Maybe.." Addison trailed off, and then shook her head. "No, that's stupid."

Mark raised his eyebrows.

"I think I need to fly out there." She whispered.

His eyes fell from her face to the top of the table. "Oh, Mark." She said, putting her hands on top of his. "It's not like that. Derek and I have been over for a long time. But I need to know that he's happy. And if Meredith Grey is the only one who can make him happy…."

He nodded, and they were both silent for a long time until Addison spoke again. "If I want to really commit myself to this," she said, gesturing between them, "I need to do this one last thing for Derek."

Mark nodded. "I'll go with you. Derek doesn't need to know I'm there. But I'll go with you."

Addison smiled. "Thank you."

"So it's that guy?" Mark asked, turning to look at Paul.

"That's the guy. Derek said he was flying to London."

"Addison, I know him from somewhere."

"So do I."

Mark laughed. "Addison, we've avoided each other since you moved back to the city. The only way we could both know him is if…" he trailed off, looking puzzled.

"The hospital." Addison finished. "It's the hospital."

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The walls were collapsing on Meredith. She was scared. She was terrified to leave Paul, and even more aghast at the thought of losing Derek again. She leaned against the wall of the elevator, alone in this safe steel box.

Until it stopped, the doors opened and he jumped in.

"So tell me about Paul."

"He's a banker. I met him here, of all places."

"So what's he like?"

She sighed and faced him. "I can't do this Derek. I won't stand here and shoot the breeze like you've been on vacation for three years."

His blue eyes locked into hers, and Meredith couldn't deny the fact that it still sent chills down her spine.

"I'm sorry I'm here."

"Don't make me the one who has to feel guilty Derek."

He shrugged and grinned his cocky, lopsided grin at her. "I told you Mere, I'm not going anywhere."

"Derek," she whispered, "I'm marrying Paul."

"You think you will." He said, his voice laced with a casual confidence that drove her crazy.

"I can't run away from him. I don't have the luxury that you did." She turned away.

Derek grabbed her arms and forced her to face him. "Do you love him?" Meredith felt like screaming. Instead, she wrenched herself out of his grip, and got off the elevator on the next floor, striding away, leaving a barely breathing Derek in her wake.

Meredith turned the corner away from the elevator and saw someone else striding towards her. She recognized something in that walk. It was a bouncy stride, and Meredith could see red hair.

"Meredith Grey." Addison said. "It sure has been awhile."

Meredith tilted her head skyward. "You hate me don't you? You hate me. I'm sorry God, but I'm just not sure what I've done, but if striking me down would end my misery, be my guest."

Addison laughed and looked at her watch. "Come on. I cleared it with Bailey. You can get out of here for awhile. I can't get you drunk, but I can buy you coffee."

Meredith was too shocked to do anything but follow.

They sat down at an outside table with two cups, watching the last rays of sun sink behind the Seattle skyline.

"So let me have it." Meredith said. She was anticipating what Addison would say to her in a masochistic sort of way. She was sure that Addison was one person who not encourage her to stay with Derek.

"I'm not going to let you have it Meredith. I don't know anything about the situation."

Meredith's eyes narrowed. "Addison, what are you doing here?"

Addison shrugged. "To do the right thing for Derek for once. For closure. To help out friends."

"I'm getting married." Meredith said slowly, as if speaking to a petulant child.

"But you love Derek."

"Addison, I made a commitment. If I can't honor that, what do I have?"

"If you can't be with the man you've loved for years, what do you have?"

Meredith opened her mouth then closed it. There was nothing she could say. The thought of marrying Paul when Derek was so close sickened her. But then she thought about telling Paul she couldn't marry him. Saying out loud that she was still in love with the man who killed her.

Addison didn't wait for her to respond. She checked her watch, and looked up at Meredith. "I've got to go, ok? But just, take this for what it's worth, Meredith. There's always one person you won't stop loving. It might change to platonic love, like Derek and I, or it can turn into something you can't live without. Don't deprive yourself of that love. And don't leave Paul wishing for it."

She watched, wondering if she was imagining the tears in Meredith's eyes, but just as soon as Addison thought she saw them, they were gone. "I'm going to be in town for a few days. I'll be in touch." She said, walking away. Meredith couldn't say a word.

Addison, Derek's soon to be ex wife had just something really profound, and it hit Meredith hard, because this woman, who should hate her, had just hit her where she couldn't reach herself. And she was right.

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Meredith's musings were interrupted by her pager, and she got up, quickly walking back into Seattle Grace, and running for trauma. She was met by Bailey, Christina, Burke and Izzie.

"What the hell?" Meredith asked, looking down at the gurney.

Bailey raised her eyebrows. "She was trying to curse her ex boyfriend."

"And ended up with charred skin?"

"Wiccan ritual gone wrong."

"She's so young." Meredith said.

"Thirteen." Supplied Izzie. "It would help to have someone who specializes in pediatrics, Doctor Bailey."

"I'm aware, Stevens, but I don't have many pediatric surgeons at my immediate disposal. Unless.." She looked at Meredith.

"Addison."

Heads snapped in Meredith's direction. "She's here. She's in town. We just had coffee. I can call her, I mean, if you want."

Burke looked at Bailey. "I'd be more comfortable with someone who has pediatric experience doing the surgery."

"Addison it is then."

Addison walked out of the OR a couple hours later, feeling satisfied. She had been doing more surgery in New York and felt like she proved herself in Seattle. She smiled at the sight of Derek, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.

"Didn't take you long."

"I found you and a skin graft all in one day."

"What are you doing here, Addie?" he asked her.

"We need to sign the papers this time. And I want to help you. I saw Williams. In the St. Regis. We know this guy Derek, and we know him from the hospital."

He wanted to ask her about the 'we', but he chose instead to focus on something else. "The St. Regis? In New York? The son of a bitch said he was going to London."

"Derek," she said, laying a gentle hand on his arm, "I'm going to find out everything I can okay?"

He nodded, and smiled gratefully. "I talked to Meredith today. She's the one that called me for the surgery."

"Hmm." Derek mused. "Now that's ironic." He turned and started walking the other direction. "Hey, Addison?" he called before he hopped on the elevator, "Thank you. I'm glad you're here."

She smiled, content in the knowledge that she would always love Derek like this, and this worked for them. Maybe they were never supposed to work as lovers, but she saw they were perfect as friends.

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It was almost three in the morning when Meredith finished up switching the IV for a patient. She fled to the nearest on call room, and finding it mercifully empty, sat down inside. She laid her head in her hands and for the first time in a long time, cried.

She didn't even hear him come in, only felt it when he sat down next to her. "Meredith."

She snapped her head up and looked at him. He took a deep breath, and she felt like she might go crazy. She wanted to crawl out of her skin, or explode or anything. She didn't want to listen to him declare his undying love for her.

Without thinking, she leaned over and kissed him softly. Softly at first, then deepened it with a passion she couldn't understand or define. She laid back on the bed in the on call room, and he untied her scrubs slowly, with a deliberateness that scared her.

He stopped kissing her, and pulled back to look at her, his eyes questioning. She nodded, wishing she could stop herself, and for the first time in a long time, too long, she decided in a haze, he slid inside of her.

It was the sweetest, most earnest thing she had ever experienced, Meredith thought, sitting in the on call room after Derek left. It was a little marred by the fact that she was engaged, but sex with Derek was sex with Derek.

Meredith groaned as the door opened, and Addison and Christina trudged in.

"Whoa." Addison said.

Meredith held up her hand. "I still smell like charred skin, I'm a dirty mistress twice over, and I haven't slept in a day. Can this wait?"

Addison shrugged, but Christina rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded like 'spineless'.

"Meredith." Christina said.

"Christina." She mocked. "Addison."

"I'm serious," Christina said. "Talk to us. We want to help you."

"By breaking off my engagement?"

"By preventing you from making the biggest mistake of your life."

"So because Derek decided to cruise back into town, all of a sudden Paul is the biggest mistake of my life?"

"You still love him." Addison said gently.

"I plead the fifth." Meredith quipped.

"Please don't be so cavalier." Christina threw out.

"What do you want me to be?" Meredith asked, sounding slightly hysterical. "I just cheated on my fiancé, and although I won't admit, I don't even know if I'm in love with him. I see that reality is screaming don't marry this guy, but I made a promise and I can't just-"

A look of recognition graced Addison's face. "You don't want to leave Paul like Derek left you."

"That's ridiculous," Meredith retorted quickly. "It's hardly the same thing."

Addison shook her head. "No, it's true, Mer. Derek left you just you thought things were finally okay. You had this big love, and you were making big plans, and then he left. And you know what it's like, and you won't do it to Paul."

Meredith tried to think of something to say that would prove her wrong, but it was impossible, because she knew Addison was right. "So what do I do?" she asked them meekly.

Christina shrugged. "Neither of us can tell you that. Give it a few days. You'll figure it out." Meredith nodded.

"I'll give it some time. But I'm marrying Paul. I want to. Get married. To him."

Christina looked at her for a long time, and in an un-Christina like way, reached out and squeezed Meredith's shoulder. "Who are you convincing Mer, me or you?" She smiled at her friend and got p to answer a page.

Addison sat there for awhile, then also rose. "Meredith?" she asked, before leaving. "I'm sorry."

Meredith smiled at her. "It's not your fault, Addison. And I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad you're here."


	6. Chapter 6

Title: A Little Something About Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we started college, but we promise we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". At least as much as possible. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

Things were bad. Meredith's back was pressed into the cold tile of her shower, water was streaming down on her, her legs were hooked around Derek's waist, and she was alternately clutching his shoulders and the shower head.

And that wasn't even the bad part. The bad part wasn't that she was having illicit but amazing shower sex with Derek. The bad part was that she didn't care what she was doing. She was like a maniac, out of control, and in a full on Derek haze. She was questioning everything she ever felt for Paul.

That was the bad part. Not the shower sex induced orgasms. Those were definitely okay.

"How's the Big Banker's trip the mother country?" Derek asked Meredith, as they stood outside her house later. Meredith rolled her eyes.

"It's fine. He had a meeting with a few members of Parliament today, and tomorrow-" she stopped. "Why am I telling you this?"

He shrugged and grinned at her, is lopsided, cocky, you know you want me grin. "You tell me." He said, before getting into his car and driving away. "On call tonight?"

Meredith nodded. He grinned again, and she just shook her head and watched him go.

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Derek pulled the car into the lot at Joe's and sauntered inside. He saw Addison, sitting at the bar. "You're late." She chided as he slid onto the seat next to her.

"I got held up. Sorry." She gave him a look that clearly conveyed she didn't need any more details, and checked her watch.

"Hot date?" Derek asked. She blushed, and turned her stool to face his.

"Can I tell you something? Without repercussions?" He nodded. "I'm here with Mark." She blurted out. "I mean, it's not, we only met after you left. He came to help me help you."

Derek digested it and gripped her shoulder. "Good luck with that one, Addison." She smiled tentatively and laid the papers on the bar. They both signed this time, and they smiled at each other afterwards, knowing it was right.

"Mark and I both know Paul. From the hospital." Addison said, her voice low. Derek raised his eyebrows. "I'm going to make a call and pull as many strings as I can, okay?"

"Thank you." It was the first connecting moment they'd shared in years.

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Meredith woke in the on call room to the sound of her pager going off. A few car crash victims later, she was shuffling down a hall way when she shuffled into Derek.

"Hi." She said.

"Hi." He said wearily.

She eyed him suspiciously. "You don't look happy." The truth was he had left Joe's and started to worry. Any reason fro Meredith's fiancé to be at a New York hospital could be some reason that would end up hurting Meredith.

And then he had started to question himself. What if this was fruitless? What was he doing?

"I want you to tell me what we're doing." He said before he could stop himself.

She looked at him in a mixture of apprehension and awe. And then she shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. You're larger than life to me Derek. One day, you just drop off the face of the Earth, without looking back once, and the next day, you're back at work like nothing ever happened."

"That doesn't explain why we're sleeping together." He said. "I want to know why."

She smiled sadly. "You want too much Derek."

"That's not fair, Meredith."

"Not fair?" she said, laughing bitterly. "You're the one who came back here. You tell me why you did that, and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

"I don't know why, Mer. I had to get out of New York. I got a call from Burke, he said you were getting married, and here I came."

"That's not fair Derek." She mocked. "That's not enough."

"Will anything I do for you ever be enough, Meredith?" he shouted angrily.

She just looked at him. "As soon as I have a reason to believe it won't just let me down." She turned on her heel, and walked away.

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Addison checked her watch as she and Mark returned to the hotel. "Go ahead, inside. I need to make a phone call."

"The phone call?"

She nodded. "It's only nine in New York."

She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and pressed speed dial one. "Hi, this is Dr. Addison Montgomery Shepherd. I need to speak with Dr. Badley."

She waited until she heard a hello on the other end of the phone. "Hi. Chief." She said, "It's Addison. I need a favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"I need to know why and for what we're treating Paul Williams."

"Addison, why in the hell would you even ask me for that? You know I can't-"

"But you can." She said quickly. "I'm his fiancé's ob-gyn. She's pregnant, and having unusual symptoms and Mr. Williams won't disclose his medical records. That's why I came to Seattle. It could become a legal issue." She realized she was babbling, and stopped.

"You have a court order?"

"That's where the favor comes in. We don't want to destroy the couple over this. All my patient wants is to treat the baby."

There was a sigh on the other end of the line. "All I'll tell you is he's been in the Center For Infectious Disease every month."

"Thank you, Dr. Badley."

Infectious disease. Derek wasn't going to like that.

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Derek was going crazy. It had started to rain, and there had been a huge electrical fire, thanks to the lightning. She had been outside, and he had been there to see her, running inside, soaking wet, top sticking to her perfect body.

It had made him dizzy. He vaguely wondered if he really was going insane. He was a man possessed by lust and jealousy. He wanted Meredith in the worst kind of all consuming way. He replayed their trysts in his head. He saw her everywhere.

And then there were the times he thought about Paul, and his aristocratic good looks, with his hands on Meredith, touching her, having sex with her. It angered him in a way he didn't know was possible, and it scared him. Derek lingered on the edge of something dangerous all the time, and tonight was no exception.

Meredith too, was angry and dazed in her own right. She was confused, and scared and pissed. Paul had called her from London to say he wouldn't return until the next night, the night of their rehearsal dinner. She ran into the hospital, wet, and on the edge. She fixed Derek with a smoldering look and made a point of brushing against him when she walked past.

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Inside the hotel room, Addison picked up her phone again. Infectious diseases. "Hi, this is Paul William's assistant. I'd like to know if there are any prescriptions for him I should arrange to be picked up."

There was a bored sigh on the other line. Finally, she heard, "Yea, this month's Fortovase will need to be picked up by tomorrow, like I told you last time you called."

"Right, sorry. I lost the memo. Thank you." Addison stammered, her brain going a thousand miles a minute. Fortovase. The hospital had gotten a memo about it in March. Fortovase.

"Jesus." She said out loud. Mark came out of the bathroom, looking at her quizzically.

"Find anything?"

She turned to him, frustrated. "What does Fortovase treat?"

Mark's eyes widened. "Why?"

"Paul Williams is taking it."

"Addison," Mark said softly, "Fortovase is the new preferred treatment for AIDS."


	7. Without You Interlude

Title: A Little Something About Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we started college, but we promise we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". At least as much as possible. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

This chapter is a filler, so it's really short. The next chapter will take us to the day of the rehearsal dinner, and we promise that will be fireworks day. Stick with us! And review!

"Without you, the Earth turns, the sun burns, but I die, without you." –Rent.

Meredith's wet scrubs were lying in a pile with Derek's. She hopped the exam table he had thrown her down on and started dressing. Half way through, she realized she was wearing Derek's pants.

"Fucking scrubs." She muttered.

Derek threw on the clothes she tossed up at him and stared at her. "Meredith?" he asked. "Mer, what's going on here?"

"Derek, not now. Please." She sounded so desperate he almost let it go.

"When, then? I need to know what's happening." He demanded, sounding hysterical. "You just can't keep stringing me around. You have to choose."

She regarded that like he'd slapped her. She stood up and fixed him with an icy stare. "God, role reversal sucks doesn't it?"

She walked out the door.

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Addison was biting her nails. She never bit her nails anymore. She'd kicked the habit when she'd completed her residency. But here she was, in the hallway of the Seattle Grace Hospital, biting her nails. Meredith came storming down the hall, muttering about choices.

Addison almost smiled when she caught the words, 'pick me, choose me'. She reached out and grabbed Meredith's arm. She looked up, startled.

"Addison." She said, relieved. "I thought you might have been Derek."

"I need to talk to you." Addison said, directing her to an empty exam room. "I realize that this isn't my place, and I probably shouldn't have gotten this information, but I had to."

"Addison, what's going on?"

"I can't tell you until you promise me, swear to me, that for at least the time being, you won't breathe a word to Derek."

Meredith's eyes narrowed. "Trust me," Addison prompted. "For his own good, he can't know anytime soon."

She nodded. "I promise."

Addison looked at her for a long time. "I saw Paul in New York. Actually, Mark and I saw him. At the St. Regis."

Meredith closed her eyes. "When?"

"The night before I came here."

"The night he was supposed to be in London." Meredith, stated, opening here eyes, now looking the picture of calm. "Was he with a woman?"

Addison reached out and put a hand on Meredith's arm. "He was with a group, mostly men. The reason I'm telling you this isn't because he was there. It's why."

Meredith crossed her arms over her chest and looked at her, urging her to continue. Addison took a deep breath. "Mark and I realized we both recognized him. So I called the hospital and pulled a few strings."

"The hospital?"

"The Lennox Hill Center For Infectious Disease." Addison paused, considering whether to ease into the Fortovase explanation or just rip the band aid off as quickly she could.

"Addison, just tell me. Please, just say it."

"AIDS." She blurted. "He's got AIDS."

Meredith's eyes grew wide, and her face paled. She shook her head. "No," she said shaking her head. "Oh my God. I…" she trailed off. "I could have AIDS."

Addison put her hands on Meredith's shoulders. "I scheduled a test for you. Mark's going to do it, I'll run the labs. You'll know in twenty four hours."

Meredith nodded as her eyes filled with tears and she got paler. Addison wasn't sure how to react to the fact that her ex husband's ex mistress was starting to sob in front of her. "Meredith what is it?"

She shook her head, visibly stopped made herself stop crying, looked Addison in the eyes, and said, "I have to tell Derek." Before Addison could say anything she else, Meredith continued, "If I have it, I might have given him AIDS too." She said bitterly, a few tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Meredith, wait for twenty four hours. That's all I'm asking. If you tell Derek now, he won't think about himself. He will hunt down your fiancée and probably land in front of a grand jury for murder, but he won't be concerned with his own welfare."

Meredith considered this, and nodded. "When can we do the tests?"

"How about now?"


	8. Chapter 8

Title: A Little Something Called Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we started college, but we promise we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". At least as much as possible. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

Extra Special Author's Note: The next few chapters are going to follow a party the night before the wedding rehearsal, and also the rehearsal itself. There will be times and a date to avoid confusion, and also, this is the good part.

"These fights, they climb through my veins like it's mercury rising." –Something Corporate

Friday, June 28  
4:25 PM

Derek sighed and stood next to Cristina in the backyard of Meredith's house. "It's going to be a great party, Cristina." He said. Derek knew it was as good as over. The party Cristina was throwing for them was in a few hours, the next day was the wedding rehearsal, and after that, he'd lose her.

Cristina glanced over at him. "Dr, Shepherd," she ventured, "You know this isn't what I want either."

"Call it karma." Derek mused.

Cristina frowned at him, wishing she knew what to say. "I'm sorry." She went with.

"Don't be. I really don't have anyone but myself to blame. I'm the one that left, remember?"

"How could I forget?" Cristina asked, smirking. "But, Dr. Shepherd, listen to me. I shouldn't be saying this, as the maid of honor and all that, but um, I wouldn't say it's over till it's over."

Derek raised his eyebrows. Cristina took a breath. "She's not Meredith without you. Don't give up on her."

"D0 you know where she is?"

"At the airport, picking up Paul."

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He kissed her as he climbed into the passenger side of her Jeep. "Hello gorgeous." He chirped in his accent. "Miss me?"

She smiled. She was going to confront him now, in this little box of a car. Where he had no where to run, and she had nothing to lose. "How was New York?" she asked.

"London." He corrected.

"New York." She countered. "The St. Regis, I believe was where you were spotted."

He closed his eyes, but didn't say anything. So he wasn't going to volunteer the information. "You're very lucky." She said.

"Because you're going to forgive me." He said, trying to sound confident, but coming out more scared.

"No. You're lucky because I don't have HIV." She said, dropping her bombshell. And she didn't. Addison and Mark had been amazing pinnacles of calm, taking her blood, running the tests, and not treating her like a patient.

Her fiancé looked like he was going to be sick. "How do you know that?"

"It doesn't matter how I know," she said, determined to remain calm. "What matters is why you didn't tell me."

"I just found out." He whispered. "I just found out."

"That's bullshit and you know it."

"It's not. I can prove it, Meredith, I swear it."

She narrowed her eyes at him, ready to scream, ready to kill him, ready to call the whole thing off. But when she saw he was crying, she simply pulled the car to the side of the road.

"Let's talk, Paul."

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5:58 PM

Derek knocked on the door of Meredith's bedroom. "Mer?" he called out.

She opened the door, already wearing her dress. Derek's eyes wandered over her, and she didn't know what to feel in reaction to that.

"I really don't know if we have anything useful to say to each other, Derek."

"Anything useful to say? That's all I get? What is this Meredith?"

Her eyes flashed. "That's all you get? All you get? What about what I get, Derek? What about that? What about what I got when I called the hospital, looking for you? What did I get then? And what about now? When I'm finally ready to let go, what do I get?"

"It's not like nothing happened between us since I've been back, Mer. If we could just talk about things, then maybe…" he trailed off.

Meredith laughed bitterly. "Then what? We could sail into the sunset together? What do you want me to do Derek? Take you back and wait for you to leave again?"

"Why are you pretending I don't mean anything to you?" Derek demanded.

"Because you don't get to waltz in and out of my life, dictating it as you come and go!" she shouted.

"That's not fair, Meredith."

"You want to talk about fair? You had sex with me, Derek. And you told me that you loved me. And then you left for New York, without saying goodbye! That's not really fair either. And now that it suits you, you expect me to pick up where we left off?"

Derek's jaw clenched, because he knew she was right. He was being selfish, and irrational, but he couldn't control himself. "I know you still love me, Meredith!" he exploded.

And then, Meredith snapped. All the pent up anger, frustration and sadness she'd been keeping inside of her for the past few days came out. "What is love Derek?" she screamed. "What is it? What if you don't get to be with the one? What if the one fucks that up, and you just have to settle?"

"You can't believe that." He said.

Meredith slammed her hand into the wall. "Damn it, Derek! You can't even begin to imagine how hard I crashed when you left."

"I'm sorry!" he shouted.

She laughed. "Oh you're sorry?" she spit out. "Well, thanks, Derek. That really makes up for the last three years. I'm so glad you're sorry."

"So I come back and you'll just fall into bed with me?"

"If you're so opposed to sex, enlighten me as to how we had it, Dr. Shepherd."

Dr. Shepherd. She said it coldly. He was as angry as she was now.

"You weren't exactly saying no to me, Grey."

Meredith threw her hands in the air in desperation. "Because I can't say no to you Derek. Because you control my life, and my moods and my actions from three thousand miles away!"

"So it's my fucking fault, then, isn't it Mer? You get to be set up to have a picture perfect marriage with Mr. Billionaire, and I'm the fucked up asshole who wants to destroy it all."

He walked a little closer to her. "Why, Meredith? Paul not as good?"

She didn't know what to say to that. Of course he wasn't as good. No one could compare to Derek, on any level. But she didn't say that. She wanted to hurt him the way his presence was hurting her.

"At least I love him." She hissed. Derek recoiled like she'd slapped him. Meredith almost wished she had, anything would have been better than saying that.

"But you're sleeping with me," he shouted. "So what does that make you Mer?"

She hated what he was implying. She really hated him at that moment, but she hated herself more. She hated this fight, the way they were screaming, the way they sounded. She hated that she wanted him, that they were still doing this to each other.

So she screamed. Just let out sound. "Shut up!" she shouted, one of her fists connecting with his shoulders. She had been aiming for his face, she was pretty sure. "Look at me Derek. I'm nothing!" she was screaming and shaking, and he wasn't backing down.

"I am a self destructive shell of a person. I'm fucking numb, Derek, okay? You left and I shut down. Seeing you in my kitchen was the first time I can remember feeling anything, except cold, numbness. You did this to me Derek! You made me like this! I can't feel anything. Except for you!"

She was bordering on hysterical and still really angry. Derek was seething, and he couldn't listen to her anymore, because it would kill him to hear what he did to her, so he grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her to him. She crashed into him roughly, and he kissed her.

They were lying on her bed, clothes partially discarded when the last half hour sunk into his brain. Something told him this was a bad idea. "Meredith…." He said, not bothering to hide his anger.

She unhooked her own bra. "Shut up, Derek."

"I really can't stand you right now." He spit out at her.

"The feeling's mutual sweetheart."


	9. Chapter 9

Title: A Little Something Called Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we started college, but we promise we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". At least as much as possible. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

Extra Special Author's Note: The next few chapters are going to follow a party the night before the wedding rehearsal, and also the rehearsal itself. There will be times and a date to avoid confusion, and also, this is the good part.

"You're laughing out loud, at the thought of being alive, and I was wondering, could I just be you tonight?" –Matchbox Twenty

Friday, June 28 8:25 PM

Derek was unaware of what he was doing. He half realized that he was in Meredith's backyard. At her party. All he could do was turn over everything he had said to her in his brain.

Meredith was despondent. She felt dazed or stoned, or something. She was, once again indifferent to the emotions swirling around her. It had been four hours since they had shouted and hurt each other, and she was numb.

She looked at Derek. He was pale and wringing his hands together. Meredith regarded him as though he might have a breakdown. And she was jealous. He was obviously feeling everything she couldn't.

Derek looked like he was dying, but she felt frozen. She met Derek's eyes, and he gave her that look. She felt a wave of something, but she didn't know how to express it. She brushed hair off of her face. Her hands were shaking.

Derek got to be wrecked and ruined, and he got to feel it. All she got were shaking hands.

Meredith shook her head and hurried away. She joined Paul talking to his co-workers and his parents.

Mark clapped Derek on the shoulder. "Hey buddy." He said.

"What are you doing here?" Derek asked, his tone surprisingly sincere, without malice.

"She invited Addison and I yesterday. What the hell happened to you, Derek?"

He sighed. "We had a fight. A big one. And then we had sex."

"You didn't make up?"

"Hardly."

"Why do it, Derek? Why go through it?"

"I love her." The two men regarded each other, and each nodded, letting the past seeping into the past.

* * *

Meredith excused herself and headed inside. She ran up to her room, and leaned against the door, still not feeling much of anything at all. There was a knock. She moved.

"What's going on, Mere?"

"I fucked up, Cristina."

Cristina smiled. "Well what else is new?"

"Did you see Derek?" she asked. "He looks dead."

"You look…cold."

"My hands are shaking. That's all."

"What happened?" Cristina pressed.

Meredith shrugged and held up her hands. "Look at them."

"Meredith, you're not making any sense."

"I hurt him, Cristina. We hurt each other. And I just wanna feel hurt. But I can't." She smiled without conveying any humor. "I can't feel a thing. Except my hands."

Addison stuck her head in the room. "You all right, Grey?" she said, the last name now more a term of affection than anything derogatory.

Meredith fell backwards onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Cristina and Addison exchanged looks. Addison sat down on the bed. "Meredith." She said gently. "Everything you've always wanted, everything you fought for, begged for? It's sitting in your back yard."

Meredith put her hands over her face, unable to absorb all of this.

"He lied to you. And then he left you. He fucked up. So have you." Addison's voice was harsher now. "But now he's back, and he loves you. And you're pretending not to care. So not only are you a liar, but you're not who I thought you were. Grow up, Meredith. Take some responsibility."

She got up and turned to leave. "Addison?" Meredith asked.

She turned around and crossed her arms, waiting. "What do I do?" Meredith asked in the same, detached voice she'd be using all night.

"I can't tell you that. I can only tell you that right and wrong aren't always black and white." This time she really did leave.

Meredith turned to Cristina. "No wonder Derek called her Satan."

Cristina shook her head. This lack of emotion was disturbing, even for her. She got up and made her way back outside. She grabbed George's elbow and pulled him away from Callie.

"Code blue." She muttered.

He raised his eyebrows. "Meredith." Cristina clarified. "She's slipping into no man's land." George knew what that meant. It was the place she'd been for months after Derek left. Self destructive and apathetic.

He turned to go into the house, but halted. "I think Shepherd's already on it." He said, watching Derek jog toward the stairs.

Derek stood in the doorway. Meredith was sitting on her bed, her knees pulled to her chest. Her was completely stoic, but she was shaking. He sat down next to her and put a hand on her back.

"You look like shit." She told him, once again, taking in his pale, taut skin, and the hollow expression in his eyes.

"You look catatonic." He retorted. He pulled her close to him and put his arms around her. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

She shook her head. "My problems, my fault." Her voice was toneless.

He pulled away to face her, keeping a firm grip around her body. "Meredith." He said urgently. He gave a slight shake. "Mer, are you all right?"

She smiled the same smile she had given Cristina, devoid of humor and emotion. "I think I'm dying." She whispered. "But I can't feel a thing."

"Oh God." He whispered back, pulling her head to his chest again. He stroked her hair and muttered apologies to her. "I'm so sorry, Meredith. I'm so sorry."

"I didn't mean it. When I said at least I loved Paul. I didn't mean it."

He nodded. "I know."

"Here I am again." She whispered to him, almost nonsensically. "You're hurting. I hurt you. And you hurt me too. I just can't feel the hurt." He put his hands on her face, and looked in her eyes. They were utterly blank. Derek tightened his grip around her body. Anything to make her stop shaking.

"Meredith," he began. "I lo-"

"Please don't." she begged. "Please don't say it."

"I love you." He whispered. Tears leaked out of her eyes onto his shirt. "I know I shouldn't have come here. I know I manipulated you, and pushed you, but I love you." He kissed her head gently. "Just always remember that, Mer. I love you."

Meredith watched him get up and leave the room. She sat on her bed, an odd feeling of calm coming over her. There was once a time she never had any doubts that Derek was the one. The great love of her life.

It could have been true.


	10. Chapter 10

Title: A Little Something Called Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we started college, but we promise we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". At least as much as possible. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

Extra Special Author's Note: The next few chapters are going to follow a party the night before the wedding rehearsal, and also the rehearsal itself. There will be times and a date to avoid confusion, and also, this is the good part.

June 29, 5:23 PM

Cristina zipped up Meredith's rehearsal dress. "I don't understand why you can't see that this is a big mistake. I don't know what fairy tale you're living in Meredith, but you can't just cast aside the big forever love and expect to have it ten years later."

Meredith sighed. "Cristina, can you stop?"

"No, I will not stop. I'm your person. I have a responsibility to tell you the truth, and here it is. This is your last chance with McDreamy. Marry Paul, and he's going to leave. He'll move away, he'll fall in love. He'll find the girl he can love almost as much as Meredith and maybe he'll get married….." She trailed off.

"Look, the first day I met you, you looked at this guy, and you had stars in your eyes. He was a brain surgeon, not a banker. Maybe you'll be happy with Paul. But he's not that one in a million."

In a very out of character gesture, Cristina squeezed Meredith's shoulder and left the room. Meredith sat down in front of her mirror and dutifully reached for her makeup. It was hard to get excited to rehearse a wedding you didn't want to have.

* * *

5:34 PM

There was a knock on her door, and a head covered in red hair popped in. "Talk?"

Meredith nodded. "I'm sorry for the way I acted last night, Grey. I was vaguely out of line."

Meredith smiled in spite of herself. "Meredith, this should be a happy day for you." Addison remarked. "But you look so lost."

"So tell me what to do."

"If I thought I could help you by telling you what to do, I would. But you have to decide."

"I have decided! Paul. Paul, Paul, Paul!" she said, her voice rising. "The only reason I doubt myself is because everyone else seems to think I'm crazy."

"It's not crazy. If you break it off, you'll hurt Paul. Like Derek hurt you. You'll break the commitment, like Derek did."

Meredith groaned. "I feel a but coming on."

"But if you marry Paul, you're condemning yourself. You'll always be in love with Derek. And you'll always be wondering what you could have had with him."

"So you think I shouldn't marry him."

Addison just shrugged. Meredith sighed and looked out her window to where black clouds were gathering in the sky. She shook her head at Addison. "It's going to be one hell of a night."

* * *

6:09 PM

Derek sat on the ferryboat, staring at all the clouds. They seemed to symbolize everything to him, and he couldn't figure out why. His trance like state was broken when he felt a body settle next to him.

"Hi, Dr. Shepherd."

"Dr. Stevens." He said, nodding at Izzie. "What brings you out on the river?"

She shrugged. "I come out here sometimes, when I need to be alone with Denny." She stopped and looked at Derek, who nodded at her, urging her to continue. "I mean, Alex understands, he really does, and I love him, but sometimes, I just need to remember that I loved Denny too. And that it never really goes away."

She paused and they both observed the sky. "Especially today, you know. Pre-wedding."

"It's been hard for you." Derek said.

She nodded. "It's been hard for you too."

He shrugged. "I probably shouldn't have come."

Izzie shook her head. "Don't say that, Dr. Shepherd. You love Meredith. And she loves you. She just can't understand it. It's almost too big for her. You did the right thing by coming though."

Derek looked up as they passed the spot where he and Meredith would watch the ferry boats. "It's going to storm, Stevens. Think about what it would be like to be in the middle of that storm. No lifelines, just you and the lightning."

Izzie eyed him, feeling like she was picking up on something he was trying to say. Derek continued. "You'd be against something more powerful than you. Tempt fate. Test your luck."

Izzie nodded, feeling like she was beginning to understand. "It's something to think about, Derek. Dr. Shepherd."

"Derek." He said. "It's Derek."

* * *

6:47 PM

Meredith stood at her bedroom window staring at the clouds. She didn't even hear Paul come in. She didn't know anyone was there until he stood next to her.

"Meredith." He said brightly. She turned to him.

"Hi." She said.

"I need to tell you something." He took a deep breath, and Meredith almost rolled her eyes at his theatrics. "I know how bloody awfully I've screwed this up. The mere fact that you've given me another chance just means so much to me, darling."

He took both of her hands in his. "I'm so honored that tomorrow, you'll be my wife."

Meredith forced herself to smile. "It's going to be great, Paul."

Meredith left Paul in her room to change, and practically smacked into Bailey on the way out.

"Dr. Bailey!" Meredith said. "You're here. In my house."

"Very observant, Dr. Grey. Glad to see your skills are top notch, even on your days off." She commented, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She grabbed Meredith's wrist. "Come on, I need to talk to you." She guided Meredith outside, to her car.

"You okay, Grey? Medically speaking?"

Meredith closed her eyes. "Addison told you."

"Addison told me, and she also told me that she took a great personal risk in finding out this information. You owe her."

Meredith nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Good. Now, not medically speaking, what the hell are you doing, child? You're getting married tomorrow, and I hadn't been invited to the wedding I would think it was a funeral."

Meredith threw her hands in the air. "I've been sleeping with Derek!" she said, wondering what had caused her to admit such a thing.

Bailey smirked. "And what the hell else is new? Meredith, as long as you've been my intern, you've always been all sorts of mixed up over Dr. McDreamy. Face it Grey, you love him."

Bailey opened her driver's door and got inside the car. "Be the woman I know you are, and do something about it."

* * *

7:13 PM

Meredith was watching her drive away, open mouthed, when Derek pulled into her place.

"Hey." He said to her, getting out of the car. "You okay?"

She smiled at him, and shrugged, letting the pre storm breeze blow her hair all over her face/

"You look scared." He told her, candidly. He met her eyes, and then she looked back at the storm clouds. This whole thing was a storm cloud. A set up. Meredith understood that on some level Derek knew he would probably not get her back. But he went through it all for her anyway.

"I am scared." Meredith admitted. "I'm scared I'm making the wrong choice. I'm scared to look you in the eye after yesterday. I'm scared to lose you again."

"Maybe you are making the wrong choice Mer. But no one can tell you what choice to make. I wish I could. But I can't. It has to come from you. And I can't stay here without you," she said, "so maybe you will lose me. But only you can make the choice."

He touched his hand to her cheek, and then turned back to gaze at the storm. After a while, he turned to her again. "Meredith." he said. "Remember where we used to go? And watch the ferries?"

She nodded. "What if you were just out there? In the middle of a storm?" He asked. "What if you just had to face the lightning and everything? No life lines."

"If you had to test your luck against everything?" Meredith asked, getting the distinct feeling he was trying to tell her something.

"Exactly." Derek said.

"It's something to think about." Meredith told him.

"Tell me about it." Derek paused and looked at her. "Look I came to wish you luck tonight. I'm not going to make it."

Meredith nodded. "And tomorrow?"

"I can't watch you get married to someone who isn't me."

"And the day after tomorrow?"

He shrugged. "Who knows?"

She smiled an emotionless, humorless smile. "You're leaving."

"Seattle won't be worth it without you."

"Look, I just came to say goodbye, Meredith. I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

"Where are you going to go?" she whispered.

He attempted his cocky grin. "Somewhere I'll find another girl to take advantage of me in a bar."

She nodded, trying not to cry.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"I know you are." He told her. "Goodbye Meredith."

"Goodbye Derek."

She stood on her street, and she watched him get into his car, and drive away from her.

And then she started to cry.


	11. Chapter 11

Title: A Little Something Called Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we started college, but we promise we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". At least as much as possible. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

Extra Special Author's Note: The next few chapters are going to follow a party the night before the wedding rehearsal, and also the rehearsal itself. There will be times and a date to avoid confusion, and also, this is the good part.

_The battle between our heads and our hearts is agonizing. Because somewhere in between head and heart, we know what it is that we really, truly want. On the rare occasion, that in between beacon of truth sides with our heads. But usually, it tells us to go with our hearts. So, if you can find that place, before your head and your heart rip you in half, listen to it. _

8:04 PM

It was an awful process. No one should be stuck in their own wedding rehearsal when they didn't want to marry the person. Meredith sighed and shifted her weight. Paul was beaming. He had intense doubts if she would go through with it, but a rehearsal meant there would be a wedding.

Meredith had zoned out a while ago. The priest was droning on, shifting the bridal party all around. Behind her, Izzie, Cristina and two of Paul's sisters were playing bridesmaids, all wearing colorful sundresses. Tomorrow, they would wear the burgundy colored gowns Meredith had let Izzie and Cristina choose. Behind Paul, Alex, George, Paul's brother and his best friend were dressed in button down shirts and khakis. Burke was reading a poem, Bailey was reading scripture, and the Chief and Adele were present.

Meredith's mother, calmed by the drugs Derek had pushed Meredith to give her years ago, sat placidly in the first row, next to Dr. Webber and Adele, in front of Mark and Addison.

Meredith sighed again. Paul frowned. She knew she was making this difficult for him, but she didn't care. She looked out at and saw Addison and Mark, who had come for moral support, looking at her sympathetically. Meredith forced herself to pay attention.

"And then I'll say the part about speaking now of forever holding one's peace," the priest said, "But I don't think that will be a problem."

It was silent in the church. Meredith didn't look at Addison or Cristina; for fear that one glance would cause them to…

"Excuse me." Came a voice from behind Meredith. Izzie stepped down off the steps so she was closer to Meredith. She looked at the priest and at Paul. "I'm really sorry about this." She said.

Izzie looked at Meredith, knowing that she shouldn't do this, but in her heart, she saw that this picture was all wrong. The bride was supposed to be beaming. The groom was supposed to have floppy dark hair, and blue eyes. They were supposed to be Mr. and Mrs. McDreamy.

Meredith was supposed to look like she wanted to get married. Or at the very least, not look like she wanted to kill herself. Izzie realized everyone was staring at her, and she cleared her throat. Alex put two fingers over the bridge of his nose and bowed his head.

"Honey, why would you do that?" he muttered in her general direction.

"I have something to say." Izzie said. "I should have said it a long time ago. You can't marry him Meredith."

"Izzie, stop it." Meredith hissed.

Izzie smiled and shook her head. "Meredith, I've been where you've been. I lost someone, and it almost killed me. It hurt, and it hurt so much, and it stills hurts. But I'm lucky enough to have someone that I really, really love."

George shot a look at Alex, and he blushed.

"The someone that you lost is back. And I know why you don't want to risk it again. I know Paul is safe. But, God, Mer, there is a little something called forever, and I can't let you spend it with someone you don't love."

Meredith stared at Izzie, completely torn. The priest looked back and forth between the bride, the groom and the rogue bridesmaid. "I've never been in this situation before." He muttered. "Um, yes. Is there anyone else who believes these two should not be wed?"

Bailey and Burke rose, along with Addison and Mark. Dr. Webber and Adele got up, and to Meredith's shock, her mother stood. Ellis looked Meredith in the eyes and nodded at her. Meredith looked behind her. Cristina, George and Alex had their hands raised.

The priest cleared his throat. "Is there anyone else who has anything they would like to say?"

Meredith waited for Cristina to start talking, but it was Addison whose voice was heard. "Meredith, Stevens is right. You don't love this guy." She stopped and smiled. "It's my fault that we're in this position. I asked him, I demanded, actually, that he come back to New York with me. And you know he cried on the plane ride? He thought I was sleeping somewhere over Kansas, and he cried."

She looked Meredith directly in the eye. "Don't think I didn't know, Grey." She said softly. "Three years, and I knew the whole time. He loved you. Hell, Meredith. If you can't be with the one you love, you've got nothing."

Meredith nodded at her, and turned back to look at Cristina, who actually gave her a small smile. Meredith locked eyes once more with her mother, and then it happened. It was like she had the bomb in her hand. Everything just faded away, and all she could see was Derek.

The revelation swept over her, and in those few quiet seconds, she could see everything that had happened between them in bright bursts in front of her face.

"I'm sorry." She said to Paul. "But I love Derek."

Meredith made her way to the back of the church, and her friends followed. Paul grabbed Bailey's wrist as she passed. "Who's Derek?" he asked.

Bailey rolled her eyes. "Dr. McDreamy. Tall, lots of hair, likes to lean against things."

* * *

Meredith flung her arms around Izzie in the back of the building. "Thank you." She whispered in her ear.

Izzie laughed. "Better now than at the actual wedding, right?"

Meredith leaned down to her mother's wheel chair and kissed Ellis on the cheek. The elder Dr. Grey grabbed her daughter's hand. "Richard tells me that you're going to be with the handsome neuro specialist."

"Yes, Mom, that's right," Meredith said incredulously. "Derek."

"Good." Ellis said. "Derek loves you."

Meredith looked at her mother quizzically, and then shook her head, turning to everyone else. "He's leaving tomorrow. I have to find him. Now."

"Do you have any idea where he is?" Mark asked her.

Meredith looked out the back window of the church, at the threatening sky and the lightning that was flashing.

"He's got a thing for ferryboats." She breathed.

Mark looked at her like she was crazy. "Ferryboats?"

Addison hit him in the arm. Meredith looked at the two of them. "Can I borrow your car?" she asked. Addison fished in her Dior bag until she found the keys to the rented Lexus.

"Be careful with it, Grey."

Meredith nodded and grinned. "Thank you." She said meaningfully. Addison nodded. Meredith looked around at her friends, her family. She smiled at them, took of her strappy heels and threw them at Cristina.

"Your shoes?" she asked. "Izzie gets hugged and I get your shoes?"

Meredith grinned. "You're my person. Deal with it. Unless you'd rather I hugged you."

"Just go find McDreamy." Cristina muttered, picking up the shoes. Meredith turned, and ran out of the church.

The four remaining interns stood in a group, watching her go, shaking their heads and muttering things like 'I told you so', and 'unbelievable'. Burke left his conversation with Adele and Bailey to amble over to them. He held out his palm.

"Pay up." He said. All four of them just stared at him. Burke smiled. "I believe I put two hundred dollars on Shepherd." He reminded them. "Now, pay up."

It was silent for beat. "We lost a bet to Burke? We lost a bet to my boyfriend? Damn it, Meredith, I'm going to kill you."

"No one likes a sore loser Cristina."


	12. Chapter 12

Title: A Little Something Called Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we started college, but we promise we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". At least as much as possible. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

Sorry this is so short, but we didn't want to ruin the reunion with lots of filler.

_They say that all you need is love. Maybe that's true. Maybe nothing else matters. Is it possible that true loves trumps commitment, and surgery, and promises and everything else that you thought meant something? I never thought so. Until now. _

Meredith had never felt this way before. This total calm, this total confidence in her own choices. It was funny, in an ironic sort of way. Derek had chased her in the beginning, and then she had chased him, and then it reversed again. They kept going back and forth, and here she was, racing her car to the harbor, in hot pursuit.

She pressed the gas pedal a little closer to the floor of Mark and Addison's rented Lexus and smiled. In the end, it was always one of them, standing still in one place, and the other one chasing them. Now was no exception. It was just her turn to do the chasing.

* * *

Derek was soaking wet. The rain had come, as it always does in Seattle, and he had gone to the harbor anyway. Rain rolled down his face, and he pretended that not the moisture was the occasional tear. He stood alone in that spot where he and Meredith watched the ferryboats, this time staring out at the lightning and listening to the thunder. He screamed at the storm, but the sound was lost on the wind.

It was funny, in an ironic sort of way. Derek had always been lucky. He was a world renowned brain surgeon. He'd gotten the girl, the hot red head that every man in New York wanted. They had the friends in high places, they had it all. He'd gotten the girl in Seattle- twice. The lusty intern that everyone talked about in New York. But, now here he was.

Completely out of good luck.

* * *

Meredith parked and jumped out of the car. It was pouring now, and the storm was raging. She spotted Derek and stopped short. There he was, pacing in their spot. He was everything she wanted, but also the place where everything went wrong.

Doubt started to creep in. The worries she couldn't ignore. The what ifs and the memories of all the times she had gotten hurt before. Meredith shook her head to clear it.

It was Derek. Her McDreamy. "Fuck it." She muttered under her breath. She broke into a run.

"Derek!" she called, coming up behind him.

"Meredith." He breathed. "What are you doing here?" He blinked at her, as if she weren't real, or might just fade away.

"I'm tempting fate." She told him, smiling.

"What about your rehearsal? And Paul?" Derek asked slowly, as if he couldn't comprehend this was actually happening.

"I love you." She said, ignoring the question.

Derek laughed in disbelief. "And I love you."

"So are you staying in Seattle?" she asked him.

"Are Mark and Addison staying in Seattle?"

She looked at him, confused. "Um, no."

He grinned, his old, cocky smile returning to his face. "Then I'm staying." Meredith smiled and kissed him, feeling like they had finally come full circle. Maybe, just maybe the chase was over.

Maybe now it would just be the two of them, no running and no chasing. He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the car. "Come on." He said. "It's raining, Dr. Grey. We should get back to the house."

"You know the house is full of people, wanting to know which way their bet went?" she asked.

He considered this. "We should get back to the car."

She looked around. "Yours or Mark and Addison's?"

He shot her a devilish grin. "Are you going to let me take advantage of you?"

She leaned into him. "I'm considering it, Dr. Shepherd."

"Then definitely Mark and Addison's."


	13. Epilouge

Title: A Little Something Called Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: And here it is. The last chapter of our marriage epic. Sequel, anyone? We're game, if someone has a plot.

"And maybe, we were made for each other." –Jack's Mannequin

Meredith slammed her locker shut, and smiled at the date. Six year anniversary. They had been interns for six years. And now, one year from today, they would be finished. She sipped her coffee, and sat down on the bench, waiting.

It was strange to be the first one there. Cristina was always obsessed with getting there early, as was Callie, which prompted George to be more than on time. Even Alex and Izzie usually beat her.

It was surreal, almost. All of the things that had happened in the last six years. Forget the last six years. It was incredible to think of everything that was going to happen to them. Meredith would stay at Seattle Grace, of that much, she was sure.

Cristina would stay, for as long as Burke stayed, and it didn't look like he was going anywhere soon. George had moved in with Callie, after much deliberation, and the two of them were here to stay as well.

Meredith was less certain about Alex and Izzie. Alex was dying to get into Plastics somewhere. But something gave her comfort that they'd stay. And even if they didn't stay, they wouldn't be too far away. She sighed, and continued her musing.

It was funny how life had this way of just working out for the best.

Cristina opened the locker room and screwed up her face. "How the hell did you beat me here?" she asked. Meredith just laughed.

* * *

Bailey stood in front of the operating board with Cristina, Burke, Izzie, Alex and George. She pursed her lips. "O'Malley." She said. "Go with Dr. Burke. Scrub in. Make yourself useful."

"Where the hell is Shepherd?" she muttered under her breath. Meredith joined the group and stood next to Cristina.

Bailey whirled around. "Yang." She barked. "I thought I told you to page Dr. Shepherd."

Cristina gave her a look. "Uh, I did." She said, gesturing next to her.

Bailey rolled her eyes. "Oh hell no, Grey. Shepherd. Meredith." Derek stepped of off the elevator and smiled as he listened to Bailey's words.

"Now, you better figure out what the hell I'm gonna call you to avoid this, because you have three hundred sixty four and a half more days as my intern, and if you think I'm going to have this confusion every time I need an intern or a neuro consult, you're out of your mind."

Derek sauntered over the group. "Problem Dr. Bailey?"

"Dr. Shepherd. I need a neuro consult in 3306." Derek grinned and strolled in the other direction.

Bailey looked at Alex and Izzie who were choking on contained laughter and Meredith and Cristina. She rolled her eyes again. "Shepherd, take your wife with you."

Derek turned back around and held his hand out to Meredith. "Dr. Shepherd," he said, "care to join me for a consult?"

She laughed. "I'd love to Dr. Shepherd."

Bailey rolled her eyes a third time. "I'm getting a headache from all these mushy, loving exchanges that are being passed around."

Derek shook his head at her and pulled Meredith away. "Grey, you better figure out what you'll be called when I need you." Bailey called after them.

She walked down the hallway muttering to herself. "Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Shepherd."

Izzie came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Mr. and Mrs. McDreamy." She corrected.


	14. Chapter 14

Title: A Little Something Called Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: And here it is. The last chapter of our marriage epic. Sequel, anyone? We're game, if someone has a plot.

Author's Note Again: Okay. We wanted to share a conversation we had online about 'A Little Something Called Forever' with all of you. We replaced our screen names with our real names, just in case anyone wanted to work on stealing our identities.

Lizzie: Dude. We need a sequel.  
Sara: I know. I miss it.  
Lizzie: thoughts?  
Sara: something… suspenseful?  
Lizzie: Like every other story we're writing?  
Sara: oh yea.  
Lizzie: maybe something cute and happy.  
Lizzie: but thatll get so boring.  
Lizzie: hmmm, suspense it is then.  
Sara: abduction is out. Car crash, no good. Guns are done.  
Lizzie: bomb in the hospital?  
Sara: are you serious?  
Lizzie: oh yea.  
Sara: fire could work though.  
Lizzie: use your passion intro. Details later.  
Sara: Sequel. Awww yeah.

Look for an upcoming sequel called 'Forever And A Day'.

We love you guys.


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